Podcast
Questions and Answers
Which of the following best describes the main benefit of implementing occupational controls in healthcare settings?
Which of the following best describes the main benefit of implementing occupational controls in healthcare settings?
What is the primary purpose of maintaining a clutter-free environment in healthcare?
What is the primary purpose of maintaining a clutter-free environment in healthcare?
What distinguishes cleaning from disinfection in healthcare procedures?
What distinguishes cleaning from disinfection in healthcare procedures?
Why is the correct application of reprocessing methods critical in healthcare?
Why is the correct application of reprocessing methods critical in healthcare?
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What is one of the primary roles of custodial workers in healthcare settings?
What is one of the primary roles of custodial workers in healthcare settings?
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How should healthcare waste be handled to ensure safety and compliance?
How should healthcare waste be handled to ensure safety and compliance?
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What is the purpose of having Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) available in healthcare environments?
What is the purpose of having Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) available in healthcare environments?
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What is a significant role of having policies and procedures manuals accessible in healthcare settings?
What is a significant role of having policies and procedures manuals accessible in healthcare settings?
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What is the main characteristic of pathological waste?
What is the main characteristic of pathological waste?
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Which type of waste is classified as non-hazardous?
Which type of waste is classified as non-hazardous?
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During the risk assessment process, what is the second step?
During the risk assessment process, what is the second step?
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Which of the following properly differentiates disinfection from sterilization?
Which of the following properly differentiates disinfection from sterilization?
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What materials are classified as radioactive waste?
What materials are classified as radioactive waste?
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What is one critical action in controlling risks during the assessment process?
What is one critical action in controlling risks during the assessment process?
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What is the primary difference between antiseptic and disinfectant?
What is the primary difference between antiseptic and disinfectant?
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Which of the following describes the proper use of sterilizers?
Which of the following describes the proper use of sterilizers?
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Study Notes
Quality Assurance - Occupational Control Measures - Managing Injuries
- Objectives: Outline the use of occupational controls to reduce the opportunity for patient and healthcare worker contact with potentially infectious material. Discuss the importance of the correct application of reprocessing methods for assuring the safety and integrity of patient care equipment.
Preventing Injury
- Main ways of preventing injury in the healthcare environment: Hand hygiene reduces the spread of microorganisms, use of personal protective equipment (PPE) when indicated, clutter-free environment, cleaning, disinfection and sterilization.
Areas Most Often Missed During Hand Washing
- Diagrams illustrating areas of the hands frequently missed during handwashing. The areas are categorized as most often missed, often missed, and less often missed, indicated by color coding.
Activity (Individual)
- Activity to be completed individually. This activity focuses on understanding the differences between cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization.
On the Ward
- Measures: Have clearly identifiable sharps bins according to institution policy and standard practice, Maintain cleanliness and decluttering of ward environment, Have adequate stock of consumables, Have policy & procedures manual readily available and accessible to all staff, Training of custodial workers, Identify, label and rectify all hazards, Keep proper documentation.
- Additional measures: Do not use faulty equipment, Have Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) readily available, Maintain accurate records of all stocks including drugs and solutions.
What is Health Care Waste?
- Health-care waste includes all waste generated within health-care facilities, research centers, and laboratories related to medical procedures—as well as similar waste from scattered home sources and health-care activities. Examples include home dialysis and self-administered insulin.
Categories of Waste
- Sharps: Items that could cause cuts or puncture wounds.
- Infectious: Material suspected of containing pathogens in sufficient quantity to cause disease.
- Pathological: A subcategory of infectious waste, including tissues, organs, fluids, and body parts from surgical procedures.
- Pharmaceutical: Expired, unused, spilt, and contaminated pharmaceutical products.
- Chemical: Discarded solid, liquid, and gaseous chemicals.
- Radioactive: Materials contaminated with radionuclides.
- Non-Hazardous: General waste that isn't contaminated with infectious agents, hazardous chemicals, or radioactive substances, and does not pose a sharps hazard.
Types of Waste (Examples)
- Biohazard: Contaminated materials (e.g., blood, sharps, and tissues).
- Sharps: Devices that can pierce skin (e.g., needles, scalpels).
- Pathological: Tissues, organs, and fluids.
- Non-Hazardous Pharmaceutical: Unused over-the-counter medications.
- Hazardous Pharmaceutical: Medications that are hazardous according to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).
- Trace Chemotherapy: Contaminated materials with a small amount of chemotherapeutic agents.
Steps for Risk Assessment and Management
- Identify hazards: Determine potential hazards in the organization.
- Assess risks: Evaluate the likelihood of harm from exposure to hazards.
- Control risks: Implement measures to mitigate the identified risks.
- Review control measures: Regularly assess the effectiveness and modify controls as needed.
Decontamination and Reprocessing of Medical Devices
- Read a provided manual for detailed understanding of cleaning, sterilization, and disinfection methods used to decontaminate medical equipment.
Activity (Table Creation)
- Create a table defining disinfectants, antiseptics, detergents, sterilizers, and lubricants and when each is utilized.
Hierarchy of Controls
- Hierarchy of controls to prevent injury or illness, ranging from most effective (elimination) to least effective (PPE). These include elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment (PPE).
Engineering Controls
- Engineering controls reduce or prevent exposure at the source by measures such as ventilation, screening, adequate spacing and safety equipment for infected/colonized patients
Reading Assignment
- Read provided chapters on Safe Management of waste from health-care activities
References
- Include details regarding a reference document, a specific Ministry of Health and a web link for additional information.
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